Smelting apparatus.



Patented Feb. 8, 1910. z sums-SHEET 1.

E. PINK. SMELTING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOI FILED IAILZS, 1908.

A, d 0 x Qw am 5 c .VJ| v\ o my@ l Witness es Y E. PINK. v SMELTNG APPARATUS. Arruourox rnfnn un, as, 190e.

` Patented Feb. 8,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I Inyenorf laafzzc/aL:

i lvtesses; I y I* ,Wiel @um 1 j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD rmx, or MiLwAUKEn-Wrsconsm.' l

sMEL'rrNG APPARATUS. i f i Specification of tetters Patent.

To all whom 'it mayconcem: i.

Be it known that I, EDWARD F INK, a eltizenof the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Sniclting Apparatus. of which the following is a specific-ation7 'reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates more particularly to aj'iparatus for sinelting and converting orY refining ores' and mattes. lts main objects are to facilitate and 'reduce the costY of sm'elting' and converting or refining ores, inattes andthe like; to bring'within the scope of such operations ores and other -products which it has hitherto been found impracticablc to directly subject thereto or which it has been necessary to prepare therefor by separate and costly processes or other fitreatment; and generally to improve lthe construction and operation of apparatus of this class. i

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the peculiar arrangement and combinations of parts of which the apparatus is composed.

ln the accompanying drawing like characters designate the saine parts in the sev'- oral figures.

Figure l a side elevation of the apparatus embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away and shown in vertical section; Fig. 2 is an endelevation of the apparatus and partialvertical cross section;

' and Fig. 3 is a central horizontal section on the line 3 3, l ig. 2, of the heating barrel.

For the treatment. of certain ores', such as carbonate or' oxid ores, pyritiferous ores containing copper, and sulfid ores, which may be gently roasted' without forming sticky niasses, theapparatus comprises a rotary heating barrel a, and arotary smelt.- ing barrel b, which are arranged one above the other with their axesho'rizontal or substantially so. l,`lies e barrels maybe formed of boiler plate oi'heavy sheet metal lined with re brick or clay. orsuitable refractory material to protect the metal shells or casings. They may be and are preferably made of substantially the saineV form and size, and are each inountedupon supporting wheels or rollers c so as to turn around their hori-A zontal axes, the wheels or rollers being preferably langed or groovedand the barrels provided with-v annular rails dlitting beor rims.

-ratentearen 8, 191e."

tween the flanges or into the grooves of. said A i wheels or rollers. One or' more of the supporting wheels c associated with each barrel` is provided with a pulley e or other driving connection Afor" rotatin the barrel. Each barrel has the approximate shape of two conical or pyramidal frustums' joined base to base, the side wallsinclining or sloping outwardly or away from the axes toward4 th'eir junction" at the center o fthe barrel and forming a continuous internal trough. The ends of the barrels are formed with Vcentral openings and provided aroundrsuch openings with outwardly projecting anges barrel a is connected opening in one end of the barrel b, and the f. The opening) in one endf'of thev 1 y a flue f with the.

opening in the opposite end of the barrel a i communicates with a chimney or escape flue g, the joints between the stationary fines and the rotating flanges or rims on the ends of g the barrels being closed by sleeves or. collars Il.. i f i The barrel a is formed at the junction of so i its inclined `side walls with. char ing and4v discharging openings and,provi ed with suitable closures/i therefor. A hopper j for chargingthe barrel a is arranged above it lso as to register with said openings. A stationary feed tube c arranged in line with the L charging opening `in the end of barrel b opposite the flue f, has a movable sleeve or slid-V.

ing extension Z adapted to be projected into and withdrawn from 'said opening, which is provided with av reinovable'closure m. A spiral conveyer n. is rotatably mountedin the tube'lc and adaptedto feed the material sup- AA tubular.`'l

plied .thereto into the barrel. conduit or chute o terminating at its u per end in a. hopperp on the under side 0 ltheV barrel a in position to register with the peripheral openings therein, leads downwardly therefrom into the tube k. twy'er'E or burner nozzle g directed from the flue f. into' the barrel b throughl the exit opening there f from, is connected with a blower Irby apipe c passing lengthwise through the flue fand through the barrel c, where it is coiled or bent bcland forth', as shown in-Fig. -3 to resent an extendedheat `absorbin in said barrel.- An oil or fuel supp y pipes-t provided with 'a regulating valve, and .a

lsteam supply pipeu. also provided witha regulating valgo;v are connected with the nozzle g, as showiiiin Fig.1.

When the apparatus .is to used 'fo-ricchi.

gradually heated, and if it contains considis ignited, 'and the ore begins to roast, lair being supplied thereto if necessary oi' desirable through the' conne'c- 6;5 tion 6. The air passing through the pipe a, said. opening. The closures z' Vare now 're- -fe'rable sulfur thisl for' keeping it cool;

twyer is curved or bent downwardly termiper part of the trough aon the barrel, so that by turnnating'inthe .u the lower sideo isheated by tli'e hot gases to which it is ex- )osed in the barrel a and flue f, so that a hot last is supplied to the burner, thus inaterially aiding and accelerating thesinelting ofthe charge in barrel 7; and effecting an appreciable saving of fuel.v 4

By therotation of barrel b ,the larger and yheavier .particles of ore which .require a longer time to melt, work downward to v ward the center of the barrel and collectin the lower part ot' the trough on the under side of the barrel. while the smaller and lighter particles collect 'on the surface of the charge. These smaller particles having a ing the twyer in-the ring or plate v and Vgreater surface exposed to the iiame ofv-the coupling y it may be adjusted as indicatedl by dotted lines onFig. 1, to v'ary the level 'of the discharge orifice at its-inner end with relation to the surface of .the molten niaterial held in the trough in the lower part The barrel'b'is formed at the junction of its inclined side walls with a number of tap holes which are closed .by plugs v3 of clayor otlierreractory material, and the shell is ,provided en one yside of each "of these tap holes, with a pouringilip or spout 4t. At the junction of one of the end and inclined side barrel, are more easily melted, and when melted the hot liquid flows down over and submerges the larger particles which collect at the bottoni of the trough, thereby hastening the fusion of these particles. The inolten globules of metal or matte and slag are `thus separated from the unfused particles of ore, and collect in the lower part Aot the trough, wherea separation of `theheavier 'molten metal aiid matte from the slag is also constantly taking place. Fresh particles of ore are constantly brought by the rotation of the barrel under and subject to the action of walls adjacentr to its charging opening the the iiaine, which plays over the charge and barrel b is also' forinediwith tap holes which returns .with the heated gases and products are provided with pliigs or closuresV 5 of;d of combustion through the upper part ofthe refractory inateriah leads into the upper eiidof the flue f for supplying air to the barrel n; whenever it,

may be desired.

In smclting ores of the kind hercinbefore lreturn* flame from the burner and the hot products of combustion being carried by thel mentioned, the lapparatus operates asV fo lows: Both barrels being charged with pnl-j. verized ore and the requisite linx, are rotated, the peripheral openings in the barrel a and the tap holes in the barrel b rbeing closed, the twyer w being removed from the barrel b, andthe openingtherefor, as well as the adj nceiit charging opening, being-closed. By the rotation of the barrels the ore and 4 flux arel thoroughly mixed and agitated, so that different portions thereof are exposed. most effectively to the action of the hot blast inv the sinelting .barril and to the eti'ect of the productsv of combustion issuing there# through thev heating and air being supplied to the burner nozzle q, the tiaine thus produced is projected into the barrel b over the charge of ore in the lowery part thereof, and the hot gases-z and roducts of combustion escaping el b into the flue f, are conducted f into the barrel'u, through which they pass over the charge of ore therein into the 4chunfrom` and passing barrel. Fue

from barr ney or flue y.

' A pipe connection 6 Y bai-rel into the tine the heat being retiected from the inclined walls on the upper side of the barrel toward the center of the barrel and 4'concentrated upon the cl'iaige below, and Y.tlie wall of the barrel highly heatedgby the rotation of the barrel into contact. with the charge below and transferring its heat there# to, thus aiding and expediting the sinelting operation. As soon' as the charge in barrel b is melted, the slagLconstituting the greater part of the molten mass, and separated frein and covering the matte or metal which settlesin and occupies the V-shaped trough below the end walls of Vthe barrel, is rapidly drawn ofi' through the end tap hole which is turned into position for the purpose and is located abov'e the matte or niet-al level. After -the.greaterpart of the slag 'has been thus disposed of, Awhat remains 'is poured from the trough through one of vthe peripheral tap holes which is brought to the level of the molten niass,the barrelgbeingtui'iied so as to carry the lioleslowlyifdownward; 'When quently. converted or yrefined therein, as hereina fter explained. The tap holes heilig. again closed, th' closure rm. is removed from the feed opening and the sleeve lis moved into '13 loo iis

thea-lag has been removed the= linat'teyor,

metal is poured lthrough'the saiiie'periphera'l tap hole into moldsor other reptacles, or The ore in the bari-ela is thus yitniay be retained in the barrel and Subsc"-V moved and the barrel a is rotated, discharging'its contents through the openings therein into the hopper 7': at the upper end of the chute or conduit through which it flows freely and is carried by gravity into the tubek. From the tube k itl is fedinto the barrel by the spiral conveyer n. As soon as the slnelting barrel has thus been recharged, the sleeve 4l is withdrawn, and the closure m is Y replaced over the feed opening. One of the openings of barrel a being'closed, another charge of orc is introduced from the hopper through the opposite opening, which is then closed. The apparatus is'now ready for another melt. and the operations hereinbefore explained are repeated.

For converting or refining operations, as for example, .converting matte, produced from copper. ores containing considerable sulfur,into an enriched matte or blister copper, one or more twyers w are introduced into the barrel b through the opening or openings (provided therefor" in the plateor ring v an are connected with the blast pipe a` ofthe blow/e152; Each twyer is turned or Y adjusted so that its inner end will project slightly below the surface o'f the molten matte contained in the trough in the lower part of the barrel. Air is now forced through the twyer or twyers, the barrel is rotated, and a strong oxidizing tia-me is projected from the nozzle -g over the matte. To 'simply blow air alone over the-molten.matt e has little or no effect, but a strongly oxidizing l flame, produced by supplying anexcess of issu i lied to the charve ad'acent to the in ll) f e .l

troduction of theair' blast through the twyer or twy'ers vw where the` sulfur is being burned and oxid of iron liberated, is imf mediately4 mixed with the matte by the rotaltion of the .barrel and the consequent agitation of the charge, and united with the liberated oxid of iron, thereby forming slag -and reventing th oxid of iron from attacking t e lining. The enriched matte or blister copper :being heavier than the unrefined 1 matte, collects in the lower partof the 6- trough on the under side of the barrel, where it is protected against further action of the hot blast .by the unretned matte and slag which float on the surface.

It is advisable to remove the slag from i 55 time to time, whicheanbe done without inf terfering with the blowing operation, as the convertingor refining o eration isfac1l1- tated and expedited when t e surface ofthe vmolten matte is comparatively free from supply connectionsl avoid` dan er of the 'freezing or congeah'n of' the c arge,-s1nce it may 'be mamtaine at the vdesired temperature bythe iutroductionof additional fuel so that it is'praeticabie with the apparatus'herein shown and described to refine go small charges which it Wouldrbe impossible to sucfssfully treat in ordinary converters. In caseacharge is overblown so as to produce ycopper oxid v'thiscan' be readily converted into metal b increasingthe sup ly of f uel and thus prod'ucing a strong redliicing fiume, or by the direct addition of carbonaceous matter to the charge. e

It rarely occurs that sufficient matte is ob` tainedfrom onesmelting operation towar- 9o rant concentration in Athe manner above de. scribed, so that it is advisable to remove only the slag after the first smelting operation or operations,'and to allow the matte from two or more-charges to accumulate in the barrel is undertaken.

For the treatment of some ores,-such\ as. autimony, sullid, certain bismuth ores, "gal lena, etc.,"which melt easilyand tend when heated to form sticky masses, the heatn barrel' may be dispensed with and suc ores introduced directly intol the bar rel'b,v the airsupply to the burner nozzle' being b before the convertingv or'reining operation ,heated by the vWaste products of comA ustion escaping through the flue f. v The construction of the s melting barrel b with inclined lor sloping side walls as shown and described, so as to form a V- shaped trough on the under-side of thebarrel, besides affording'strength' and rigidity, facili- ,tates the se aration of the larger and heavier particles lom the smaller and Alighter 'particles of theore, hastens the smelting operation, facilitates the separation of the fused from the un'fused portion of vthe char e, facilitates tappingand drawing off the s ag and the matteor metal, and con-` centrates the heat from the fl'ne-andproducts of combustion to the bestadvanta i '1?0 upon the charge. The corres ndin 'shag of the heating barrel a also facilitates vthe discharge of' the'feixtents the barrel-through the peripheral openings therein and concentrates the heat upon the charge.

Thearrangement of theheating barrel a above the smelting barrel 'b and their connecti'ousa-s hereinbefor'e described, admit of utilizing the products of combustion fromv the siuelting barrel ti; roast or heat the contents of the upper barrel preparatory to sinelting the saine in the lower barrel and toV lating movement, as well as continuousA rotation in one. direction.

I claim.: 1. The combination with a rotary barrel, of anpindependently supported tine-1n coinm'unicatiou therewith' for conduct-ing the products of'- combustion therefrom, and

nigans adapted .to feed fuel iiitosaid barreliu'a direction opposite to the flow of the products-.of combustion from said barrel vin order to heat the-charge contained therein and the wall of the barrel above thecharge.

1).. The combination with a rot-ary barrel, ot' an independently supported flue commui nieating tliere-witli for conducting the products of combustion therefrom, and an independently supported nozzle adapted to direct r'fuel into said bai'rel opposite to the direction of flow 'of the products of combustion from the barrel in order contained therein and the wall of the barrel above the charge.

2l. l'n sinelting apparatus, a rotary barrel arranged with its axis approximately horizontal and having side wa ls incliniiig away lroin thel axis toward the center and forining,r an internal trough around the barrel, and a taplfole adjacent to the junction ot an end andy side wall, substantially as described.

ln suielting apparatus, a rotary barrel arranged with its axis approximately horizontal and having side walls iiiclining away troni the axis toward the center and torming an internal trough around the barrel, and tap holes at the junction of the inclined side walls and at the junction of a side and end wall, substantially as described.

' :ln smelting apparatus, the'coinbiuation o1 a rotary barrel arranged with its axis approxiiuately horizontal and lia-ving'a cent tal opening in one end, au escape f lue coi-iiniiiiii- -catiiig with said opening, an air supply pipe rinuiiug through said fine and opening into said barrel, `and means for through said pipe, substautiallyas described.

The combination with a rotary barrel having a central opening in one' end, an escape line coinn'iunicating with said barrel through said opening, a nozzle arranged to inject fuel into the barrel in a direction opto heat the charge forcing air:

posite to the flow of the products' of vcombustion 4therefro1n, andi supply conduit leading products of combustion escaping through said flue.

horizontal axisV and-an opening in one en n nI escape flueV for the products of combustion communicating with `the interior of. the vbarrel through` said opening, a nozzle dian lair. supply pi e ruiming through said flue and connecte with said nozzle, and a uel suppl pipe connected with said'nozzle, substantially as described.

8. In sineltinga paratus, the combination .of a rotary barrel -aviiig an approximately horizontal axis and central openings in the rends, an escape flue communicating through through the same opening, an air. supply p'ipe ruiming through said tine and conconnected with said nozzle, and a removableclosure for the. opening in the oth'erend of the barrel, substantially as described.

S). In smelting apparatus, "the combination ofa rotary barrel having an approximatelyhorizontal axis, a central opening in from the ends toward the center and v,torin- .iug an internal trough aroundthe barrel,

opening with the interior of the bari-el, a nozzle directed into the barrel through said opening, an air supply pipe running through said flue and connected with said nozzle, and

zle, substantially as described.

- 10. In sinelting apparatus,'the combina.- tion of a rotary barrel'liaving an'approximately horizontal axis, central openings in from thecnds toward the center and forming Vau niternal trough around the barrel, au escape Vflue-for products of combustion directed throiigh the .same opening into the interior of the. barrel, an air supply pipeV passing through said fineV and connected with said nozzle, a fuel supply pipe conmaterial to be treated into the barrel `through the other end opei'iiiig, and :i1- re- Amovable closure for said opening, substantially as described.

11. In suielting apparatus, tion of a rotary barrel having an approximately horizontal axis, central openings in the ends and ,side walls inelining outwardly from the ends toward the' center and fornito said nozzle and exposed to the heat of the 7. In sinelting apparatus, the combination ofa rotary barrel having an approxnnatelv rected into the barrel through said openin,

one of said openings vwith the interior of the v barrel, a nozzle directed into the .barrelj nected with said nozzle, a fuel supply Ypipe' one end and side walls inclined outwardly' an escape flue communicating through vsaid 100- a fuel supply pipe connected with said noz- 10b the ends and side walls inclined outwardly I110 communicating through one of said open. ings with the interior ot' the barrel, a nozzle nei-,ted with said nozzle, means for feeding 12o the combina- 125 ing au internal trough around the barrel, 13;

van escape flue communicati'n -with the'interior of the bari'el thr'oiig one of `said openings, a nozzle'directed into the' barrel through tliesame o ening, anair supply pipefpassing through said .iiue and connected with said nozzle, a fuel supply pipe connected with said nozzle, a horizontal feed tube arranged in line 4with the other opening and provided with a slidingV extension adapted to be projected into and withdrawn from said -opening,'a removable closure .for

said opening, and a spi'i'al conveyor rottably mounted in said tube, substantially as f described.

12. 4In smeltin apparatus, the combination of a rotary arrel havin an approxi-Y mately horizontal axis, centra openings 1n the ends and side walls inclined outwardly from the ends toward the center and forming an internal trough around the barrel,

fan escape flue communica-ting with' the interior of thebarrel through one of said openin s, a nozzle directed into the barrel throug i the same o ening, air and fuel supply pipes connecte with said nozzle, a stationary 4ring or plate fitting into the" opeiiing in the other end of the barrel and'having an opening provided with a removable closure for the introduction of material into the barrel, a twyer'passing through said lring oiplate and directed downwardly at its` inner end, and means for .forcing air through said twyer, substantially as described.

rrel having an approximately horizontal-axis, central openings in the ends and side walls inclined outwardly from-the'ends toward the center and form-` ing an internal trough around the barrel, an escape flue communicating through one Aof said openings with the interior of the barrel, a nozzle directed through the same opening into the btrrel, air and fuel supply pipes i connected 'with .said nozzle, a stationary ring or late tittingriiitothe openingv in the other en of the barrel and havin an opening provided with a removable c osure Yfor introducing material into the nari-el, atwyer remoyably fitted in said ring or plate and' diregteddownwardly at its inner end, and a detachableair supply connection for said twyer, substantially as described.

14. In smelting apparatus, the combinat-ion of a rotary barrel having an approximately horizontal axis. openings in t e ends and side walls inclined outwardly from the ends toward the center and forming an internal trough around the'bariel, an esca e flue communicating with the 4interiorof t e barrel through one of said openings, a nozzle VIAdirected into the barrel through the Vsame opening', air'and fuel supply pipes connected with said nozzle, a stationary ring or plate fitting into the opening in the other end of -d3. In snieltingaapparat-us, the combina-A ,tion of a rotary .the center and formin the barrel and having an opening provided with a removable closure for theintroduction of material into the barrel, a curved twycr'passing through said ring or plate and y capable o'f being turned therein so as to vary "79 the elevation of itsinner end, land means 'it with the other barrel to said nozzle, an g5 means for discharging the contents of the heating barrel into the smelting barrel, substantially as described. y

16. The combination of rotary heating and smelting barrels, a flue connecting said barrels at one end thereof,an escape flue 'communicating with the other end of the` heating barrel, a burner nozzle directed into the smelting barrel through the opening with which said connecting tine communicates,2'95 and means for conveying'the contents of the heatin barrel into the smelting barrel.

17. n smelting apparatus, the combina. tionof rotary heating and smeltin 'barrels arranged one above the other an having' 100 openings in the ends and side walls inclined outwardlyl from the ends toward the center,

a flue connecting said barrels through the openings in one end thereof, an escape flue.A i

with w/hiclithe opening in the other end of the heating barrel communicates, a nozzle directed,` into the smelting lbarrel through the exit opening in one end there0f,'an air supply pipe passing through the heating barrel and the flue connecting it with he, smelting barrel to said nozz e, means or forcingv air through said pipe, al fuel supply pipe connected with'said nozzle, a spiral V conveyer arrangedrto lfeed material into the smelting barrel through the opening in the .A A

oppositeerid thereof, and a chute leading from the heatin barrel into said convcyer, substantially as escribed, 18. In smeltting apparatus, the combina; tion of rotary heating and smeltin barrels arranged one above the other 'with t eir axes V horizontal and having o enings in their'. ends, vthe smeltin barrel aving side ,wallsf inclined outward y from the ends tovvardf4 around the'barrel, an v a tap hole in t e deeper 'part of the trough, and the heating barrel having Aa 'charging and discharging vopenin 'a luefgconnecting' said barrels throng the openings in oneend thereof, an .130

an internal trou h Vzo vesca-pe line with d wliich the other endopening of the heating bar-rel communicates, a nozzle directed into the smelt-ing barrel through the exit opening therefrom lnto `said-iue5lv an air supply pi passing through' the heating barrel an( the flue connectlng it with the smelting barrel and connected with said noz- -zle, means for forcing alr through sa-ld pipe,

means for supplying fuel to. .said nozzle,

a spiral conveyer movable into and out of the o cning inthe other end of ,the smelting barre aelosure for said opening,Y and a condui-t leading from the heating barrel into said conveyer, substantially as described.

19. In smeltinv' apparatus,A the combinaf tlon of a 'rotary v vrliarrel having an approximately horizontal axisv and central openings Ain the ends, an escape flue communicating withl the interior-'of the. barrel through one of sald openings,

" barrel througlirthe same opening, an air snp# ply .pipe connected with said nozzle, a stationar37 ring* or plate fitted into the. opening in the otherend of the barrel and having au opcning'provided witlia removable closure for the introduction of material into the barrel', a twyer passing througlrtsaid ring or plate 'and directed downwa dlr at. its` inne-r end intofthc lower' parto s. the barreh' andmeans'for forcing air: through said l tw'yer` substantially as. described.

20. "Thc combination' of a rotary barrel having a vcentral opening inone end and side s the middle o? 'walls inclininer away from its axisvtoward the barrel and forming an yinternal trough'A arouud it, an escape flue oonnnunlcating. wlt-h. said barrel" through said opening vand av burner varranged to project .its 'flame into said ba'rrel in a -direction opposite-to the floor' of -the' products of combustion therefroml into said Hue.

21.. l'llhcv combinatioi'iof .a rotary Vbarrela'nozzle directed into thel having a' central eii'd openinggand sidewalls'f incllmng away from lts axis.towardz-th' and meansfor simultaneouslyfeeding'solid material into the vbarrel vwhile it tion through said-end opening. s

' 23. The combination of a rotary barrel having an 'end opening, an escape ne com# municating -with: said barrel through said opening, a burner adapted to project fuel into the barrcliii-"a direction opposite to the iow of the products of combustion from the harreli'nto said/flue, and aiu'yer adapted to discharge into the material contained in the hai-rel while/itgislin motion.

is in mo- :24. The combination of a rotari7 barrel,

havingan end opening, an escape flue communicating with' 'said barrel through said opening, a burner directedfinto` said barrel 'through said opening, a t" direct-a refining agent to the charge contained in the barrel while' it. is in motion, and meansfor feeding solid material 'into theV charge while the barrel -is iii-motion.

In witness whereof -I hereto aliixv my'signat-ure in presence of two witnesses. i.

. CHs. L. Goss,

Amon E.,;;Goss. 

